New Zoning District

TNT Drug Store

Audubon District

In December of 2013, the Audubon Zoning District was formally adopted by the City Commission. In 2012, the Henderson City Commission created a special zoning committee to explore ideas about how to streamline development regulations, encourage development, and increase property values. This special committee focused on the East End, after it was identified by the Sustainable Evansville Area Coalition (SEAC) for Henderson, Vanderburgh, and Warrick Counties in their 2012 “Sustainability Today” Plan, as a sustainable community. A sustainable community is walkable, with a dense development pattern, and a mixture of uses that meet the needs of its citizens in one neighborhood. After reviewing the existing pattern of the East End and the current development regulations, the special committee decided an overhaul of the existing regulations was necessary to preserve and strengthen the vision of this sustainable East End community. This overhaul included significantly reducing the burden of restrictions placed on your property. Two new zoning districts were created —Audubon Residential and Audubon Commercial—with the following purposes:
• Encourage Adaptive Reuse of Existing Lots and Buildings: Permits existing mixed-use buildings to be redeveloped, and any existing lot to be redeveloped with no lot restrictions inhibiting development, such as setbacks and lot width requirements;
• Promoting Sustainable Urban Living: Promote dense walkable development patterns, and allow traditional mixed-use commercial within the neighborhood;
• Preserve Quality Design and Aesthetics: Infill development that melds into the existing built environment by requiring contextual front setbacks and requiring parking in the rear yard.
The committee was made up of the following:
Russell Sights, City Manager
Buzzy Newman, Assistant City Manager
Kathy Ferrell, Executive Director
Curt Freese, Assistant Director
Doug Boom City Engineer
Don Summers, Code Administrator
John Stroud, City Codes
Theresa Curtis, Planning Staff

The committee has hosted a number of visitors and contributors over its sessions, including: Ms. Dawn Kelsey City Attorney, Mr. Tommy Joe Fridy, Architects Tim Skinner and Mike Shoulders, members of the East End Coalition, and Mr. Mike Farmer.

Beginning of Gateway DistrictMain Street

Gateway District
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the Gateway District I December 2013. The Gateway district involved over a year of work, which started in 2012 when the Henderson City Commission created a special zoning committee to explore ideas about how to streamline development regulations, encourage development, increase property values, and provide for an aesthetically pleasing gateway into Downtown Henderson. This special committee focused on Second Street, after it was identified by future I-69 maps, as the new primary gateway into Henderson.

The special committee reviewed development regulations to provide for the development of a pedestrian- friendly, mixed-use, aesthetically pleasing entry-corridor into downtown Henderson from this proposed I-69 interchange. After reviewing the existing pattern of Second Street, and the current development regulations, the special committee decided an overhaul of the existing regulations was necessary to preserve and strengthen the vision of this gateway corridor. The intent of the Gateway Zone District is as follows:

Promote sustainable urban development, to better the environment and the aesthetic quality of Henderson for the future.

Provide a walkable mixed-use area that is inviting to pedestrians, and the travelling public.

Reduce traffic conflict points to promote safety, and encourage the use of existing alleyways.

Reduce stormwater runoff and promote green design.

Encourage originality, flexibility and innovation in development along Second Street, including the architecture, signage, and placement of buildings.

Discourage monotonous, unsightly, and discordant development that is not in keeping with the entry-point into downtown Henderson, to provide for a harmonious mix of uses and development standards compatible with an urban corridor.